Month: August 2011
Though it was shorter, I’m not sure why the drive from Eau Claire to Chicago felt so long. We found some Wisconsin cheese though, so that rocked. Here’s a photostory of the day, because 1) they’re worth a thousand words, and 2) I would like to go to bed. Sitting in a car all day is exhausting, you know.
Saw a lot of this:
Seriously? I love Jesus and everything, but at a trucker stop? Guess they need something to accompany all the hotel Bibles, right?
Lindee [my aunt] got rather excited about toll booths. I was in charge of preparing the money for them. I had a bunch of $1 bills at one point, but I didn’t think to take a picture of them when I had six:
LOOK! IT’S CHICAGO!!!
Goodness, Chicago. Why do you have so many cool restaurants?
So, my aunt went through the turnstile for the train before I did, and hilarity ensued. Because you know what? The ticket printed when I was five cents short of putting the money in the machine. And she was all “It’ll be fine.” and walks through the turnstile. You know what? Not fine. So I got stuck on the other side and the machine was being stupid and not letting me put more money in, so I had to get the dude to help me. And then I told him I was Canadian and their dimes and nickels were too similar because in Canada our dimes are way thinner than our nickels and therefore easier to find. Then my card wouldn’t get me through even when the correct amount was on it so he just kind of gave up and let me through. YAY FOR THE BLUE LINE M-TRAIN!
This is Rona, one of my long-time Twitter friends who lives in Chicago! How stellar is that? We met for dinner tonight at MANA Food Bar. It was super fun and awesome. Thanks for dinner, Rona!
Yes, I did stop to take a picture of this. And waited when the electronic thingiemajig changed to another ad then back to Ellen.
TEAM ROCKET TACO!! I have no idea what that is, but I don’t really care because it’s awesome.
refuel
drive.
pass.
dust and dirt.
i enjoy this sign greatly. food is fuel for the body, fuel is food for the car. yay!
crepe crazy in fargo, north dakota. i want giant nutella!
new shoes after an impromptu stop in albertville, mn
mcdonalds in eau claire, wi for dinner. i wish we sat here.
showing Janeen that our hotel does indeed have a bible!
My cousin Dean [and my mom] have to work, and can’t come on the first leg of the road trip that I’m beginning with my aunt tomorrow. We figured out how Dean can tag along though!
After a totally fine day breathing, my lungs decided to flip gears for the night — of course, right before my 5K training walk today, right? I’m walking my second 10K race on September 24th, and unlike last year, I kind of want to train for it this time. Make myself feel more like the kinesiology student that I am. I’ve been working out lately with relatively little issue in the way of my asthma [which is much more touchy and frustrating than I ever would have imagined when I was diagnosed.]
So I slept off-and-on and found myself wandering around the house for an inhaler at 2:26 am. Who can really be bothered to find their inhaler that is around their bed in the dark when they know where the one in the kitchen is? And so it continued like that, waking up randomly, needing the inhaler again at 5:45. By 9 AM I was tired of fighting it and did a breathing treatment and then attempted to go on with my day. You know, and do a 5K at 11:30. Hey, I already feel bad, might as well just go, right?
Danielle and I kinda slowly meandered our way around for 5K. It took us nearly an hour and fifteen minutes — completely the fault of my lungs. But, hey, it’s done. We had a good talk. Chased it with a breathing treatment and a freezie [every summer I work at a daycare, I get addicted to freezies. Happened in ’09, happened again this year], then some Starbucks a few hours later. If I was by myself, it would have been so much harder. So, there’s definitely something for being on a “team” of sorts — so far, having a training partner has been awesome.
I’m crazy tired now and it’s not even 6 PM, but hey, at least I didn’t just waste another day! As irony would have it, the MedicAlert bracelet I ordered last week arrived today — with perfect timing in the ironic way of this being the worst breathing days I’ve had in about two months [dude, so I’m not cured? Dang it], but also that I’m off to Chicago and Minneapolis next week (and hoping this flare breaks before then!)
I’m hoping I don’t have to fight my lungs all week, but either way I’m looking forward to getting back on the road!